Bangor Mens Hockey Club thirds travelled to Mossley last Saturday afternoon to take on the locals fourth string, storming from 2 goals down to eventually run out 4-2 victors in this Corporate Coaching Junior league Three fixture. 
 

With Bangor old boy and former thirds captain Gerry Hamill lining up against his old side with that extra spring in his step, the Mossley side were purposeful from the outset.  They began in the ascendancy, the Bangor side taking time to adjust to the bouncy surface.  Just 6 minutes in the home side took the lead following a penalty corner award, the thirds failing to clear their lines, and who else but Hamill was at the far post to nudge past the hapless Ryan Cherry in goals.  With play flowing from end to end the thirds were beginning to impose themselves, but were caught on the counter soon after as the home side doubled their lead.  For the remainder of the first half, however, it was the visitors who dominated.  Several clearcut chances were created as the Bangor side moved the ball well throughout the team and constantly pierced through the Mossley defence.  Keith Mulholland pulled one back with an opportunist strike, and then from a penalty corner award Allister McVicar fired low past the Mossley custodian to make it 2-2 just 20 minutes into the game.  Indeed the midfield trio of McVicar, Dale Finlay and the evergreen Raymond Parker were linking the defence and attack very well.  It was from another flowing passing move on the right that eventually lead to Bangor taking the lead.  Ricky Parker and Keith Mulholland exchanges passes as they moved forward and when Gareth Stranaghan drew the defence near the top of the circle, some quick thinking resulted in him releasing Kyle Dunn who had the simplest of chances to score past the wrong footed goalie.  It was 4 soon afterwards when from another short corner, a switch to Keith Mulholland resulted in him rattling the backboards.  The visitors indeed had more chances to increase the lead before the half as the Mossley players were somewhat shellshocked, but it remained 4-2 at the interval. 
 

There were no more goals to report in the second half, but it was not without incident.  Mossley did push an extra player into midfield to try and stifle the wave after wave of Bangor attacks, and to an extent it worked.  It did limit their goal scoring opportunities however, their front 2 really just feeding on scraps.  There were some timely interventions by the thirds rearguard of Patrick McMillan and Gareth Stubbings, whilst youngster Mark Douglas again showed glimpses of his bright future in the game with another steady performance.  Ryan Cherry was forever alert in goal as Mossley pushed forward in the last part of the game.  Both sides did have the ball in the net, but due to earlier infringements the goals were ruled out.  The thirds also created more opportunities, and did look to threaten every time they moved it forward.  Mulholland and Dunn again went close, whilst Stranaghan really ought to have score when teed up by McVicar. 
 

All in all it was a deserved victory for the thirds.  At times they moved the ball very well with some sleek pass and move hockey, a trait they can hopefully repeat in the fixtures ahead.  The player of the match vote went to Keith Mulholland.

 

Written by Gareth Stranaghan